Among weight and genetic predisposition, it looks like there could be another link to type 2 diabetes: pesticides.
There’s growing evidence that the chemicals could increase risk:
A number of studies have found a connection between diabetes risk and exposure to older pesticides known as organochlorines, PCBs and other chemicals that fall into the category of “persistent organic pollutants.”
Organochlorines are now banned or restricted in the U.S. and other developed countries, after research linked them to cancer and other potential health risks. PCBs, which were once used in everything from appliances to fluorescent lighting to insecticides, were banned in the 1970s.
However, as the name suggests, persistent organic pollutants remain in the environment for years and build up in animal and human body fat.
For the study, Airaksinen’s team measured blood levels of several persistent organic pollutants in about 2,000 older adults. Just over 15 percent had type 2 diabetes. The risk was higher, the researchers found, among people with the highest levels of organochlorine pesticides. Those with levels in the top 10 percent were about twice as likely to have diabetes as their counterparts in the bottom 10 percent.
Even though pesticides can be stored in the fat of animals, keeping us exposed, it turns out that the fatty tissue in fish is still good for us, even if there is exposure. In fact, the health benefit of eating fish far outweighs any concerns.
It just sucks that we don’t really have control over pesticides as consumers, even if we are eating organically (talkin’ about those stored in animals, veggie pesticides might be easier to avoid).
We’ll be on the look out for further evidence and tests!
[Image via AP Images.]